


subtle aches when the weather changed

by cascrane (thunder_and_stars)



Series: a dream deferred [5]
Category: no sleep in the city of dreams
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-12
Updated: 2021-01-12
Packaged: 2021-03-17 06:54:59
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 630
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28720884
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/thunder_and_stars/pseuds/cascrane
Summary: marcos knows the boy seated beside him from the odd few classes they attend together, has seen him around the hall, yet he knows nothing of him.
Series: a dream deferred [5]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2105190





	subtle aches when the weather changed

marcos knows the boy seated beside him from the odd few classes they attend together, has seen him around the hall, yet he knows nothing of him. 

he has penny copper hair and burning amber eyes, warm yet guarded, and an electric, infectious smile that he rarely shares. scars peek out from his collar and sleeves, bruised knees and shins that show from the cuffs and tears of his jeans. the boy across the table says something, and he laughs in response, sharp teeth biting at his lip as he grins, eyes of crystal amber resin, trapped memories of better days within. 

gods, marcos wants to know this boy with the past that fades away like old photos, sepia toned and sun damaged. 

he talks about his sister, foster sister, a girl named anais, says she reminds him of sarah before he hears his own words and closes his mouth, eyes downcast and darkened. 

he tells marcos -- maze, he calls him, mysterious and sly, telling him he needs a nickname, something that suits him -- that he reminds him of his brother, ryan. he doesn’t say who ryan is, but he doesn’t have to. marcos -- maze, whoever he is now -- knows enough of his past for the ever-spinning reel of film, moving too fast to see, to come clattering down, spilling out images of ellis’ past across the floor for him to see. 

ellis -- el, he says, call me el -- tells maze about his past, each scar that mars his skin, each bruise he carries with him, slowly, over a year, nearly two, but he tells him. 

he smiles softly at the good memories, stories of his siblings from when he was young, eyes lighting up like sunset-stained clouds, glowing with a warm light. he bites his lip, nearly drawing blood, and frowns, eyes dark and downcast, fingers gripping maze’s tightly as he quietly recounts the worse ones. 

each time tears prick at the corners of his eyes and each time he blinks them back and clears his throat before continuing hoarsely, maze wants to comfort him, wants to tell him he can stop. he doesn’t say a word.

el needs to do this. he will sit by him and listen, offer the comfort he asks for and a hand to hold, twisting their fingers together until he can breathe. 

maze tells el of his past, introduces him to his parents and has him over for dinner and lets him stay the night when he doesn’t want to go home. they quickly become inseparable, the outcasts who nobody knows, unnoticed but content. 

they grow close with the boy from the school gsa, keith -- el calls him key and he smiles and accepts the nickname. they stumble into a world of magic and wonder they would never have imagined, and they meet a teenager named jackal, a kid named hollis, and the siblings raven and nicky, barely out of high school and running a bagel shop in brooklyn. 

the aspernes, nicky and raven, welcome key into their home when he runs away, tired of his parents, tired of his life. 

two years later, hollis, the kid who seems to fit perfectly into the world of magic despite being alone and out of school, is the first to notice el and maze growing closer. they stop beside maze one day and asks him if they’re dating in their quiet way. 

maze flushes bright red, looking sunburned and stupid as he nods, trying not to choke on the soda he is drinking. hollis smiles softly and says he is happy for them, then runs off to tell el the same. el turns redder than his hair as he glares at maze, grin dancing across his face. they’re going to be okay. 

they’re finally happy.


End file.
